CROSSVILLE MAYOR URGES ‘YES’ VOTE ON WATER MERGER REFERENDUM AHEAD OF NOVEMBER ELECTION
Crossville Mayor RJ Crawford has issued a detailed public statement pushing back against misinformation and urging residents to vote “Yes” on the upcoming water merger referendum on the November 3rd ballot.
In a point-by-point defense of the proposed consolidation with the Cumberland Plateau Utility Authority (CPWA), Crawford addressed public concerns raised by critics, including Councilman Mark Fox, regarding rates, future water sources, employee job security, and governance.
Key takeaways from the Mayor’s statement include:
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Financial Realities: Crawford highlighted that the City of Crossville faces over $130 million in potential capital needs—including upgrades to dams, treatment plant filters, and sewer systems—which the city cannot afford independently without placing a heavy debt burden on local ratepayers.
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Rate Studies and Transparency: The Mayor defended a comprehensive financial analysis conducted by CPA Daniel Peterson, which concluded that a merger is the best path forward. He noted that critics have publicly dismissed the report without contacting its author or reviewing the projected rate impacts side-by-side with city-funded studies.
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Employee Protections: Addressing fears raised by former city manager and council candidate Greg Wood, Crawford assured residents that state law and targeted negotiations will protect current city utility employees from losing their jobs due to the merger.
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Governance and Representation: Crawford pushed back against suggestions that CPWA should instead fold into the City of Crossville, pointing out that such a move would leave roughly three-quarters of county water customers outside city limits without direct electoral representation.
The Mayor emphasized that passing the referendum only allows the city to continue exploring the merger and does not permanently bind the city to the agreement. Subsequent resolutions and public hearings will follow if the measure passes.
